The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-09-01
An Address to the Democratic
Voters of Louisiana.

Voters of Louisiana.
HEADQUARTERS NICHOLS CAMPAIGN CONF
mittee cor Canal and Chartres Streets, ,
New Orleans, Aug. 10, 1887.
The candidacy of Francis T. Mich
oils for the nomination for Governor
by the next Democratic Convention
having already been announced to
the Democratic voters of this State,
the Executive Committee organized
for the purpose of furthering that
nomination, by all fair and honorable
means, have considered it proper, as
a prelude to a general canvass of the
State, to call attention in q more
formal way to that candidacy.
General Nichols comes before the
people whom he knows and served so
well with record above reproach, with
no occasion for apology or defence.
Interested in the cultivation of the
soil, he knows the needs of his fellow
citizens; engaged in agricultural pur-
suits, he understands the necessity
for the maintenance and protection
of the public levees and all the essen
tisls for full development of our
farming industries; as a lawyer in
large and honorable practice, he
brings the experience and learning so
well calculated to appreciate and
farther all public; commercial and
industrial interests; as a leader in
war and peace, he enjoys the conf
dence and esteem of the people for
his unhinehing devotion to duty
Wearing the laurels of the soldier as
fresh and as green as when he won
them at Winchester and on the plank
road at Charlottesville, he brought
this State in 1877 out of misrule and
chaos, assured prosperity for the fu-
tnre and made Louisiana safe under
the principles of the Democratic
party. When in 1880 he passed from
Executive Office to the walks of pri-
waite life, he left that party in posses
sion of reformed and purified gov
eminent, with its future assured, hav-
ing thus earned the plaudlts of
people whose liberties he had guard
ed and whose freedom he had so
largely aided in restoring.
We are not unmindful that we have
within our State many devoted and
honorable men, who would worthily
serve this people as their Governor.
Yet in movement to reestablish and
perpetuate those conditions dear to
US all, and which were secured by the
Democrats Of the State only after so
many appalling sacrifices, we must
look to the source which will best
secure the object in view. To that
end we must rally around the candi-
date who has the strongest hold upon
the Democratic citizens of our State,
independent of local conditions or
neighborhood influences, one who is
acceptable to the people within every
parish of the State, and that man we
believe to be Francis T. Nichols.
There is not section of this State
where his name has not been heard,
and where his history and his heroism
are not honorably secure in the hearts
of the people. Pure in character,
blameless in life, firm in conviction of
right and duty, he is eminently fitted
by experience and character for the
great Office to which the suffrages Of
his fellow-citizens will call him.
In a Republican form of government
the greatest safety lies in limitation
of the term of the Chief Executive
Office. Successive terms of Office re-
peated for years, thus securing long
tenures to an incumbent, weaken pub
lie confidence and destroy the integrity
OF public life. Under these conditions
public Office ceases to be regarded as
public trust and is considered q
personal perquisite of the Chief Ex-
ecutive and his supporters and allies.
No man should be granted third
term of chief Executive power.
So self-evident are these principles
that in both Federal and State Gov
ernments, from the foundation of our
system, they have been recognized
and enforced as cardinal rule of
Democracy.
| During the supremacy of the Re-
publican party in this State we wit
messed the spectacle of the officers
appointed by the Governor leaging
together to dictate the nominations
of the Executive and controlling cleo
tions with a view of perpetuating
themselves in power, but we are not
prepared to believe that these meth
DDS and presidents will be approved
by the Democratic party. The peo-
pie demand, and they have right to
demand, that a candidate for the
highest Office within their gift shall
elevate party struggles above the
venal conditions of combinations and
favoritism and make the test upon the